If the Shoe Fits

If the Shoe Fits

Since I’ve begun to blog I have been tempted to share a million stories of Iris in all her “spirited” glory but have been a little afraid that if I begin to express my concern, frustration, up-in-armsness with her, I may not be able to stop. Or perhaps I may even perpetuate her behavior which is quite often, less than desirable by verbally labeling her as “difficult”. Too late. Since she was a wee one we’ve come up with all sorts of nicknames that have, without a doubt put her in the “challenging child” category. Things like, “Cryris” or “Sybil” (she is a Gemini after all), “Pistol” or “Pill”. Nice, huh? With each passing day she comes up with noteworthy, flat out negative ways of acting that are disconcerting sure, but also friggin’ funny, when I can hang on to my sense of humor.

Yesterday, at the doctor’s office we we’re waiting for the results of Julia’s chest X-ray (she’s clear! no pneumonia!) during what ended up being over an hour visit. We were all ready to melt down so I pulled out my fine conversation skills and began to at least try to engage the girls in question/answer time. We we’re pondering what we wanted to be when we grow up. For the sole reason that Iris seemed totally into Julia’s check up (“Take myyyy temperature!”, “Look in myyyy ears!”, “Where’s myyyy doctor?”) she asked her,

“Iris, do you want to be a doctor when you grow up?”

Iris, “NO!”

Me, “Do you want to be a…photographer?”

Iris, “NO!

Me, “How about an artist?”

Iris, “NO!”

Me, “Well, what do you want to be?”

Iris, “A meanist!” (snarrrrrl)

OK then, it’s settled, a Meanist it is. Can you get a degree in that?

6 Comments
  • Kristen
    Posted at 17:04h, 27 April Reply

    I’m totally using that.

  • PeetsMom
    Posted at 18:46h, 27 April Reply

    Oh Tracey! That girl is a PISTOL! If I could borrow your word! I swear she and Curtis will end up having some doozie conversations someday!

    Iris: Curtis, why is the sky blue?
    Curtis: It’s not REALLY blue, it’s sort of blue-gray.
    Iris: But Curtis, I SEE BLUE.
    Curtis: Well, Iris, maybe you aren’t LOOKING carefully!
    Iris: Curtis, you’re blind.

  • Claddyjack
    Posted at 20:00h, 27 April Reply

    Iris the meanist. Could be your next book?

  • Anonymous
    Posted at 01:23h, 28 April Reply

    Well sure…she’ll be ready to take over right about the time Simon Cowell is ready to retire.

    Meanists can really rake in the bucks.

    ~Jenny
    http://blogs.chron.com/mamadrama/

  • HeatherJ
    Posted at 07:37h, 29 April Reply

    That is the perfect name for a kids book “Iris the Meanist”, I am buying that once you are done writing it.

  • Max
    Posted at 02:54h, 04 May Reply

    Ha ha, she can totally go out with my son (currently 2 1/2) who recently announced scheduled “mean time” when his sole purpose for being is to act mean towards his parents. They could be the Sid and Nancy of the toddler set! Without, um, all the drugs!

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